Kalmar acquires Balkan service contractor

Kalmar Industries is to acquire Slovenia-based service contractor Tagros d.o.o., which provides general maintenance of the rolling - or rubber-wheeled - container handling equipment and industrial forklifts at the Port of Koper. As well as assuming the existing duties of Tagros d.o.o., Kalmar will also use the acquisition as an opportunity to build up its service and sales activities in Slovenia and the Northern Balkan Peninsula.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction value. Tagros d.o.o. reported net sales of approximately EUR 2 million in 2006.

Established in 1994, Tagros d.o.o. has 35 employees, most of whom are service technicians. The seller, Zdravko Sirk, one of the company's original founders, will remain in management for a few months' interim period to guarantee a smooth transition. The company will be a part of the regional organisation managed by Jürgen Wurzer, Managing Director of Kalmar Austria.

"The acquisition of Tagros d.o.o. presents Kalmar with the opportunity to establish a centre for service activities in the Northern Balkan Peninsula. Together with Kalmar Austria, the organisation will work to create synergies that benefit the development plans of the Port of Koper and the surrounding regions," says Kalmar CEO and President Christer Granskog.

The Port of Koper is one of the most efficient multi-purpose ports in the Balkan region. Volumes at its container terminal surpassed 200,000 TEU in 2006, more than doubling its throughput in five years. The port also handles large amounts of sawn timber, motor cars and bulk. The port's equipment fleet consists of approximately 50 Kalmar forklifts and reachstackers, three mobile harbour cranes, lift trucks of various sizes and makes, and 45 road trucks. Apart from Slovenia, its major inland markets are Austria, Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bavaria, Poland and the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

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Kalmar is a global provider of container and heavy duty materials handling equipment, automation applications and related services. It is the world's leading supplier of cargo handling equipment to ports, terminals and intermodal facilities. Every fourth container or trailer transfer at terminals around the world is handled by a Kalmar machine. The company also supplies a wide range of machines to demanding industrial customers for applications as diverse as handling steel and paper to shunting road trailers at distribution hubs.

Kalmar is also leading the way in port automation applications with its application of unmanned container handling technology, on-board smart features and remote maintenance products developed in co-operation with customers and partners.

Kalmar's product range is complemented by a large range of value added services such as maintenance contracts and fleet management. Production plants are situated in Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Malaysia, China and the USA. Kalmar's net sales were EUR 1.2 billion in 2006.

Kalmar is part of Cargotec Corporation, the world's leading provider of cargo handling solutions, which are used in local transportation, terminals, ports, distribution centres, and ships. In 2006 Cargotec's net sales were EUR 2.6 billion. Cargotec's class B shares are listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.